St Mary's Primary School

Overview

This sustaining improvement inspection was conducted during industrial action, meaning teachers did not cooperate with the inspection team. Consequently, the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) was “unable to evaluate fully” the quality of learning and teaching within classrooms. The report concludes that the ETI is “unable to assure parents/carers... of the quality of education being provided for the children.”

Strengths

• The school leadership set “high expectations” and demonstrated an “embedded culture of self-evaluation for sustaining whole-school improvement.”
• The “well-constructed school development plan” was informed by consultation with children, staff, and parents, alongside a “robust and systematic approach” to monitoring progress.
• Older pupils reported “very good opportunities” to develop leadership capabilities through roles such as eco-councils and ‘playground buddies’.
• Children expressed “high levels of satisfaction” with the care and support provided by staff.
• Learning displays celebrated a range of skills, and pupils demonstrated “good reasoning skills” in mathematics, showing increased confidence in problem-solving.

Areas to improve

• The report does not list specific areas for improvement, as the ETI was unable to fully evaluate classroom teaching due to the industrial action.

Safeguarding

The school provided evidence that safeguarding arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education,” and pupils reported that they “feel safe in school” and know how to raise concerns.